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Bolder to Birmingham: New fashion ranges arriving this summer (left to right) Next, JD Sports and Accessorize |
UK. Birmingham Airport will welcome four major high street fashion brands to its retail offer this summer as part of a £13 million (US$21.2 million) terminal redevelopment to improve the passenger experience.
Next, Superdry, Accessorize and JD Sports will all be located within the airport’s Departure Lounge, available to all outbound passengers.
These new stores will create around 50 new jobs and, together with the opening of a new 19,000sq ft walk-through duty free area, will “change the passenger shopping experience dramatically”, the airport company said. As reported, Autogrill-owned WDF recently extended its contract to manage the duty free business at Birmingham Airport for ten years, until 2021.
Head of Market Development, Commercial Richard Gill said: “We’re delighted to have attracted such major names. Our development strategy is all about improving the customer experience and creating a global gateway that not only serves the immediate region but also the wider catchment.
“Clearly, these popular brands have recognised what Birmingham Airport has to offer and want to be part of its future success.”
Accessorize opens a new 800sq ft store this week, showcasing new summer products including bags, beachwear and jewellery.
At the end of June Next will open a 3,000sq ft store, offering the latest high street fashions for men and women.
It is anticipated that JD Sports will open on 18 July. The high street sports fashion leader will create a 2,000sq ft store, stocking the latest sports fashion and footwear from top brands.
Finally, UK clothing brand Superdry will open a 1,300sq ft store in July, selling a wide range of men’s and women’s premium clothing.
In addition to the new retail opportunities the £13 million investment by the airport has also seen the merger of its two terminals into one, creating a central security search area and arrivals area for meeters and greeters.
Over the next ten years Birmingham Airport will invest a further £100 million (US$163 million) in its infrastructure.
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Above and below: Visualisations of the new-look WDF walk-through offer at Birmingham Airport |
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Birmingham Airport is a public/private partnership. The current shareholders include the seven West Midlands district councils (49%); Airport Group Investments Ltd, a limited company owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Australia’s Victorian Funds Management Corp (48.25%); and the Employee Share Trust (2.75%).
Birmingham Airport is the UK’s second largest airport outside London, and the UK’s sixth largest overall. Last year 8,577,822 passengers used the facility.
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